21st-Century Language Skills

Engaging K–12 LanguageLearners in Media Literacy

JOY EGBERTCHON NEVILLE

Washington State University

Calls to integrate media literacy into K–12 language classroomsappear to have gone largely unheeded. However, media literacyskills are seen as crucial for 21st-century learners. This articleanswers the calls for a focus on media literacy in the languageclassroom by addressing both why and how systematic atten-tion might be brought to this issue and by highlighting the con-nections between language and media literacy.doi: 10.1002/tesj.182

More and younger students, including K–12 language learners(LLs) in the United States and abroad, are using the Internet toexplore and discover; however, not all that they discover is factualor real. From commercial tracking to fake prize-winning scams toPhotoshopped images and film, the Internet is rampant with biasand misinformation. Without the knowledge and skills torecognize and evaluate Internet-based information, young studentscould misunderstand or, worse, be taken in by unscrupulous Webusers. As Quinlisk (2003) notes, young LLs “have not alwaysexperienced the commercial underpinning or consumer drivenculture that we have. They don’t understand the tradeoffsinvolved with commercial media” or the “subtle messages aboutsocial interaction, rules of participation, and what is valued ordevalued in certain communities” that are transmitted throughmedia (p. 35). Egbert and Huff (2011) note that student exposureto value-laden content on the Internet is unavoidable, but thatmaking those underlying values salient to students should befocal. For language teachers it is a priority that students learn toread, write, listen, and speak in their chosen language(s), but LLs

TESOL Journal 6.1, March 2015 177© 2015 TESOL International Association

need additional language and literacy skills to live and thrive inthe world. One of the most crucial 21st-century skills is medialiteracy.

UNDERSTANDING MEDIA LITERACYFor students, media literacy can generally be defined as having theability and skills to critically interpret, analyze, and producemedia. Media literacy calls for students to challenge “what theysee, not as right or wrong, but as being open to interpretation”(Quinlisk, 2003, p. 35). This includes such skills as understandingpolitical sound bites and propaganda, parsing advertisements,using social media effectively, and being able to “create personalmeaning from the hundreds, even thousands of verbal and visualsymbols we take in every day” (Cooper, 2002, n.p.). This articleanswers the calls for a focus on media literacy in the languageclassroom (see, e.g., Chamberlin-Quinlisk, 2012a; Curry, 1999;Egbert, 2009; Egbert & Huff, 2011; Quinlisk, 2003), by addressingboth why and how systematic attention might be brought to thisissue (Wan, 2006), and by highlighting the connections betweenlanguage and media literacy.

There are a number of reasons for language students to becomemedia literate. One reason is the need for LLs to be safe in order tolearn (Lacina, 2013; Meltzer & Hamann, 2004), to make sure thattheir persons and information are safe from harassment, theft, andother types of victimization (Jones, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2012;Ybarra, Mitchell, Wolak, & Finkelhor, 2006). Further, medialiteracy as the focus of study in language classrooms fulfills arange of goals by incorporating both language and technologywhile also addressing organizational and national standards thatcall for critical thinking. For example, media literacy addresses thestandards from the International Society for Technology inEducation (ISTE.org), which include that students “apply existingknowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes,” and theCommon Core standards, in which “just as media and technologyare integrated in school and life in the twenty-first century, skillsrelated to media use (both critical analysis and production ofmedia) are integrated” (Common Core State Standards Initiative,2012, n.p.). In addition, because during media literacy study

178 TESOL Journal

learners focus on media that they use both within and outside ofclass, the chances are high that students will be engaged in medialiteracy tasks (Egbert, 2007; Lacina, 2013; Lin, 2012; Meltzer &Hamann, 2004). The Center for Media Literacy’s Why Literacy isImportant web page (http://www.medialit.org/why-media-literacy-important) provides articles with many additional reasonsto address student media literacy; for example, “because themedia help define how we communicate with each other . . . themedia interpret our world, its values and ideas to us . . . the mediaare carefully planned, designed and constructed products”(Worsnop, 2011). Wan (2006) adds that teachers can integratemedia literacy as part of every discipline and in ESL instruction, asshown in the next section.

TEACHING MEDIA LITERACYAccording to the Center for Media Literacy (www.medialit.org),students should learn the following five key concepts about mediato be media literate:

1. All media messages are constructed.2. Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own

rules.3. Different people experience the same media message differently.4. Media have embedded values and points of view.5. Most media messages are organized to gain profit and/or power.

In other words, students need to learn to ask who, what,where, when, why, and how about the media they come in contactwith, whether the media are digital or print. Addressing theseconcepts can help learners to meet the standards for medialiteracy. There are a variety of tasks that can help studentsunderstand these research-based concepts. Important to medialiteracy instruction for LLs, as noted previously, is that languageis central and that students are engaged in the tasks. The sampleintroductory tasks outlined below meet the standards’requirements for media literacy mentioned previously. They helplearners both to understand and create media products, and theyalso demonstrate the overlap between language learning andmedia literacy instruction by providing specific language

Engaging K–12 Language Learners in Media Literacy 179

objectives and starting with and containing engaging connectionsto students’ lives. Each task is tied to the five key conceptsnoted above, and teachers can adapt these tasks for a variety ofdifferent LL student populations by refocusing the taskobjectives, providing more structure and support, or requiring asimpler product. For example, in adapting Task 2 for youngeraudiences, instead of asking the students to suggest whether thephotos are real based on their background knowledge, theteacher could explain the photos and provide ideas for how totell. In addition, all the tasks could focus on more or fewerobjectives, depending on learner age and/or level. The Centerfor Media Literacy also offers simpler statements of the five keyconcepts for younger learners.

Task 1: What’s the Appeal? Exploring Audience ShapingContent objective. Learners will be able to point out ways inwhich media sponsors attempt to appeal to specific populations.

Language objectives. Learners will be able to use descriptivewords to describe media; express an opinion; use “because”appropriately.

Opening questions/connections. Why do you like some thingsand not others? Why do you use some web sites/magazines andnot others? What is your favorite web site or magazine? Why?Does this web site/ magazine appeal to you? Why or why not? Towhom is it addressed?

Task instructions. After teacher models the task andpreviews the language objectives, students choose a web site orage-level magazine to review. News sites such as CNN and Fox(or their children’s sites), game sites like GirlsGoGames, andeducation sites such as the Discovery Channel and the PublicBroadcasting Service (PBS) are useful for different learners’reviews, as are any media that learners use regularly. Learnerslist words, graphics, design, and other aspects of the media thatappear to address a specific audience. Students discuss theirfindings, employing the language objectives. A site or magazinethat students do not know can then be provided, and studentscreate a list to determine who might be attracted to this mediumand why.

180 TESOL Journal

Follow-up discussion on Concepts 2 and 3.Assessment. Learners choose a site or a magazine and use the

language in the objectives to explain its appeal in either written(posted to a wiki or other class site) or oral (recorded) form. Peersprovide formative feedback by replying to the author about theideas and the teacher uses a checklist to note mastery of languageobjectives.

Concepts addressed: 2, 3.

Task 2: What Is Real and What Is Not? How to Figure Out theTruth of Web PhotosContent objectives. Learners will be able to explain that mediamessages are constructed; use primary sources to make anargument; summarize.

Language objective. Learners will be able to use completesentences to create and present an oral summary.

Opening questions/connections. What is the first thing younotice about each image? How do you know what is real? Haveyou ever seen the subject of the image in real life? How could youfind out if it were real? Is it okay to publish fake photos? Why orwhy not?

Task instructions. Ask students to evaluate the likelihood thata picture (like that of an alligator coming out of a sewer at http://canofmystery.blogspot.com/2012/10/alligators-in-sewers.html orthe photos in the Can You Spot the Fakes quiz at urbanlegends.about.com) portrays a real or unreal event or artifact. Model howto find primary sources, and ask students to find information thatwill support their decision about the photo. Together, write asummary of the information and have students reconsider theirpositions. Provide students with additional photos and have themcreate a summary that they will present to their peers to convincethem that the photo is real or unreal. Discuss the effects of mediaconstruction.

Assessment. Peer comments and teacher rubric that containsthe objectives.

Concept addressed: 1.

Engaging K–12 Language Learners in Media Literacy 181

Task 3: Image Close-Up: Creating Powerful AdvertisementsContent objectives. Learners will be able to describe how mediahave embedded values and points of view; explain how messagesare organized to gain profit and/or power.

Language objectives. Learners will be able to use the languageof appeal; describe an object; exaggerate; make an oralpresentation.

Opening questions/connection. Have you ever seen a picture ofsomething that you wanted and then been disappointed when yousaw the actual product? How many of you eat at McDonald’s (orany fast food chain)? Describe what you see on the menu board,and compare it to what you really get.

Task instructions. Using an image like those at http://www.alphaila.com/articles/failure/fast-food-false-advertising-vs-reality/ helps students explain why there might be differences inwhat you see and what you get. For example, ask students toconsider a wrapper for Skittles candy. On the wrapper it says fivefruit flavors; however, there is no fruit in Skittles. In addition, thewrapper prominently displays an ad to play and win, suggestingthat consumers may have an opportunity to not only enjoy awholesome fruit snack but also to win big just by opening thepackage. Ask students to whom the wrapper is addressed andwhat kind of power the image carries. Figure out with studentswhy the wrapper is designed this way and the type of languageused. Then, after modeling the task while addressing the languageobjectives, have students design their own wrappers for a productand “sell” the product to the class. They should include areflection on their advertising choices to hand in.

Assessment. Formative assessment includes discussion of thelanguage used, how persuasive each ad is, and what makes it so.Note students who do not seem to understand the concepts well orneed additional language to help their product.

Concepts addressed: 2, 4, 5.

Task 4: Which Sources Are Reliable?Content objective. Learners will be able to identify embeddedvalues and points of view in media; use a search engine to refineresults.

182 TESOL Journal

Language objectives. Learners will be able to write completesentences; create citations in American Psychological Association(APA) format.

Opening questions/connections. What’s a question about theculture of this country that you are interested in? Where wouldyou search for information? How can you tell if information isreliable? If you looked at this citation list, would you believe theinformation in the article? Why or why not? Why do we usecitations like this?

Task instructions. Model the task, using a question about atopic in which students are interested and know something about.Then, help students make a question about a topic that they areinterested in and will briefly research. Students use the advancedsearch function of a search engine to find the top 10 web sitesaddressing their question. Students create a citation for each site inAPA format following the model provided, and then they usecomplete sentences to explain why each source is reliable or not.Finally, they use the reliable sources to write an answer to theirquestion and share with the class.

Assessment. A formative rubric that includes correct citationformat, complete sentences, and correct answer to the question canhelp to understand where students need more work and wherethey have mastered the objectives.

Concepts addressed: 2, 4.

Task 5: The Language of Media: Producing SlogansContent objective. Learners will be able to discuss the power ofwords; identify and use slogans.

Language objectives. Learners will be able to use “powerfulwords” appropriately to create a slogan; provide written feedback.

Opening questions/connections. What is a slogan? Whatslogans do you know, either in your first or additional language?Why are some words powerful? What other words could be used?Does this slogan inspire you?

Task instructions. After initial discussion, use some of theslogans at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lists_of_slogansto further students’ understanding of “powerful” words. Create aslogan, modeling the process, for something that all students

Engaging K–12 Language Learners in Media Literacy 183

know and understand. Students then choose a product, event, orperson for whom/which to write their own slogan. They posttheir slogans electronically for peers to read, and peers makecomments in text. Follow-up discussion may focus on whichwords were powerful and why some slogans were morepowerful than others.

Assessment. Students receive credit for posting useful feedbackto their peers; students receive points for all of the “powerful”words they can find and explain in others’ posts.

Concept/concepts addressed: 1, 2.

Project: Honesty in AdvertisingContent objective. Learners will be able to synthesize and applycontent learned during their media study.

Language objective. Learners will be able to use language andstructures learned during their media study in context.

Opening questions/connections. How can we teach othersabout media?

Task instructions. Learners in groups choose either to create an“honest” advertisement for a product or develop a teaching aid forhelping others learn about media literacy. Learners choose video,audio, print, and/or other formats and modes, but they mustinclude a text-based explanation of their product. Learners write areflection explaining their products and how they haveincorporated principles of media literacy.

Assessment. One criterion could be how many of the principlesare included in the project; learners could also be evaluated onlanguage use, integration of concepts, logic, and meeting theproject goal.

Concept/concepts addressed: All.Clearly these tasks only begin to deal with issues of media

literacy for K–12 English language learners (ELLs), but they doaddress the crucial need for learners to interpret, analyze, andproduce media. As teachers attend to the need to become morefamiliar with critical media literacy (Chamberlin-Quinlisk, 2012a,2012b), perhaps the five key concepts mentioned throughout thispaper will become a more integral part of ELL instruction.

184 TESOL Journal

CONCLUSIONMedia literacy instruction for LLs is crucial, not only for helpingstudents to effectively and safely navigate the Internet, but also toengage students in language learning around a topic with whichthey are familiar. For language teachers who are concerned thatteaching media literacy will diverge too far from the curriculum ortake time away from the focus on language, the sample tasksprovided above demonstrate that language and media areintricately connected; by understanding each, students understandboth better. The tasks above can help language learners gain skillsto critically interpret, analyze, and produce media while addressinglanguage that is inseparable from their daily lives on the Internet.That language students often use the Internet on a daily basisspeaks not only to the urgent need for media literacy but also to theability of media literacy study to engage these learners in the targetlanguage. Addressing the needs of language learners to becomemedia literate, therefore, can help teachers to create engaging,language-focused classrooms in which culture and technology playa central role and learners achieve in multiple ways.

THE AUTHORSJoy Egbert is a professor of ESL and education technology atWashington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States.Her interests are in student engagement and achievement.

Chon NeVille is a doctoral student in language, literacy, andtechnology at Washington State University, Pullman, Washington,United States. He currently teaches in Thailand and is interested inthe intersection of student engagement and pop culture inlanguage learning.

REFERENCESChamberlin-Quinlisk, C. (2012a). TESOL and media education:

Navigating our screen-saturated worlds. TESOL Quarterly, 46,152–164. doi:10.1002/tesq.7

Chamberlin-Quinlisk, C. (2012b). Critical media analysis in teachereducation: Exploring language-learners’ identity through

Engaging K–12 Language Learners in Media Literacy 185

mediated images of a non-native speaker of English. TESLCanada Journal, 29(2), 42–57.

Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2012). Key points inEnglish language arts. Retrieved December 4, 2014, from http://www.corestandards.org/other-resources/key-shifts-in-english-language-arts

Cooper, A. (2002). Teaching media literacy in the ESL classroom.Center for Media Literacy. Retrieved December 14, 2014, fromhttp://www.medialit.org/reading-room/teaching-media-literacy-esl-classroom

Curry, M. (1999). A semiotic approach to teaching media literacyto English language learners. Literacy and Numeracy Studies, 9(2), 29–46.

Egbert, J. (2007). Asking useful questions: Goals, engagement, anddifferentiation in technology-enhanced language learning.Teaching English with Technology, 7(1). Retrieved December 4,2014, from http://tewtjournal.org/issues/past-issue-2007/past-issue-2007-issue-1

Egbert, J. (2009). Alligators in the sewers? Really? Learning andLeading with Technology, 36(7), 28–30. doi:36728e[1]

Egbert, J., & Huff, L. (2011). “You’re a winner!”: An exploratorystudy of the influence of exposure on teachers’ awareness ofmedia literacy. International Journal of Computer-AssistedLanguage Learning and Teaching, 1(4), 33–48. doi:10.4018/ijcallt.2011100103

Jones, L., Mitchell, K., & Finkelhor, D. (2012). Trends in youthInternet victimization: Findings from three youth Internetsafety surveys 2000–2010. Journal of Adolescent Health, 50(2),179–186. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.09.015

Lacina, J. (2013). Technology in the classroom: Media literacy andlearning. Childhood Education, 82(2), 118–120. doi:10.1080/00094056.2006.10521361

Lin, T. J. (2012). Student engagement and motivation in the foreignlanguage classroom. Unpublished doctoral dissertation,Washington State University.

Meltzer, J., & Hamann, E. (2004). Meeting the literacy developmentneeds of adolescent English language learners through content arealearning. Part one: Focus on motivation and engagement.

186 TESOL Journal

Providence, RI: The Brown University Education Alliance/Northeast and Islands Regional Education Laboratory.

Quinlisk, C. (2003). Media literacy in the ESL/EFL classroom:Reading images and cultural stories. TESOL Journal, 12, 35–40.doi:10.1002/j.1949-3533.2003.tb00141.x

Wan, G. (2006). Integrating media literacy into curriculum.Academic Exchange, Fall, 174–177.

Worsnop, C. (2011). 20 important reasons to study the media. Centerfor Media Literacy. Retrieved December 4, 2014, from http://www.medialit.org/reading-room/20-important-reasons-study-media

Ybarra, M., Mitchell, K., Wolak, J., & Finkelhor, D. (2006).Examining characteristics and associated distress related toInternet harassment: Findings from the second youth Internetsafety survey. Pediatrics, 118, 1169–1177.

Engaging K–12 Language Learners in Media Literacy 187